Paintbrush holder



Nov. 12, 1935.

w. J. B A'rEs PAINTBRUSH HOLDER Filed NOV'. 5, 1931 17 If6 J4 gwxwntoz WILLIAM J. BATES Patented Nov. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to paint brush holders, and more particularly to a device for holding paint brushes after they have been used.

It is the common practice to immerse the bristles of paint brushes, after they have been used,

in a suitable liquid for retaining the bristles in a soft condition, but the brushes easily become misshapen thus rendering them difficult to use and shortening their usefulness.

after they have been used with different colors and surface coating compositions, the colors often device which is operative' for individually retaining brushes in proper shape, and which prevents the mixing of colors Yand surface coating compositions between the brushes.

A further object is to provide a brush holding device which is adapted to contain a softening liquid for maintaining the bristles of the brushes in a soft condition and which permits drainagel of paints from the different brushes without such paints becoming mixed. Y

A further object is to provide a brush holding device embodying a plurality of individual brush holding compartments which are adjustable as to width within reasonable limits to accommodate them to brushes of diierent thicknesses, and wherein the brush compartments operate to tend to minimize splashing of the softening liquid when the device is moved.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawing I have shown one embodiment of the invention. In this showing,

Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of the assembled device, a portion of the container being broken away,

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the inner structure forming the brush holding compartments, and,

Figure 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view through the assembled device.

Referring to Figures 1 and 3, the numeral I0 designates a Vsuitable container, shown in the present instance as being rectangular in shape and having an open top. The end walls of the container are provided with central upstanding Moreover, whenY several brushes are placed in the same container (Cl. 20G-15.1)

apertured ears II to receive the ends of a bail I2 carrying a handle I3.

The inner structure of the device comprises a sheet metal body indicated as a whole by the numeral III, and preferably formed of a single 5 strip of sheet metal, such as galvanized iron. Intermediate its ends the sheet metal strip is bent to form upper and lower folds I5 and I6 dening pockets or compartments II in which the bristles of paint brushes are adapted to be arranged. Some of the lower folds are placed relatively higher than the fold I6, as at I8, to form relatively smaller and shallower pockets or compartments I9 adapted to receive smaller brushes.

It will be noted that each brush receiving coml5 partment is defined by upwardly diverging side walls 20, and each brush compartment is open at its edge portions. The metal sheet Iii is preferably slightly narrower than the inside width of the container I0, for a purpose to be described. The compartment side walls 20 at the ends of the sheet metal body have their upper extremities turned outwardly horizontally as at 2i, then downwardly as at 22 and thence outwardly in a horizontal portion 23. The metal of the sheets 25 III outwardly of the horizontal portions 23 extends vertically downwardly to form end walls 2d which have their lower extremities arranged below the bottom folds I6, andrest upon the bottom wall of the container I0. Thus it will be apparent that all of the lower folds of the brush receiving compartments are spaced above the bottom wall of the container.

From the end walls 24, the metal of the end portions of the sheet I4 extend upwardly and 35 inwardly in angular wall portions 25, which extend to the adjacent side wall 2E) and thence extend upwardly to form angular walls 26 lying against the adjacent walls 20. Parallel connecting rods 21 extend through openings 28 formed 40 in the sheet I4 adjacent the upper folds I5. The ends of the rods 2l extend through the angular walls I6 and have their extremities riveted against the walls 26, as at 29. The rods 21 may extend relatively loosely through the openings 28 45 to permit the upper folds I5 to be adjusted along the rods to a reasonable extent to vary the width of the individual compartments II in accordance with the thickness of the brushes arranged therein. Substantially inverted U-shaped handles 30 are provided for the brush holding structure, the ends of the handles 3B extending downwardly through suitable openings in the horizontal walls 23 and being preferably riveted thereagainst as atl 3|. n 55 The device has been illustrated in Figure l as `holding a single brush 32 having its bristles 33 from the foregoing description. A suitable quantity of the softening liquid is poured into the device at any point and lls the container at all portions thereof to the same level due to the fact that the edges of the sheet metal body fit loosely in the container, as previously stated. The bristles of the brushes will be maintained immersed in the liquid to be maintained in a soft condition thereby, and the tapered side walls E of the brush receiving compartments hold the bristles of the brushes in their proper shape. The compressing of the bristles in the tapered compartments tends slightly to press paint from the bristles, if the brushes have not been wiped out prior to placing them in the compartments, and under such conditions, the paint will iiow into the bottom of the individual compartments and/or over the edges of the walls 26, and thence into the bottom of the container IG. Thus it will be apparent that the paint from a brush in one compartment will not readily find its way into Contact with a brush in another compartment, and accordingly the colors will not become mixed.

The maintenance of the lower folds of the compartments above the bottom wall of the conrainer permits paint or other surface coating compositions to accumulate to a substantial depth in the bottom of the container without coming into contact with the bristles of the brushes, the brush holding structure being supported in the container upon the lower ends of the vertical walls 24. As previously stated, the rods 2 nt relatively loosely in the openings 28 to permit the folds I5 to be adjusted slightly along the rods, and thus the compartments I1 and I9 may be made to accommodate brushes of different widths whereby a plurality of brushes may be arranged in the device and all will be immersed to the proper extent in the softening liquid.

The division of the entire container into compartments having their upper edges extending above the level of the liquid serves to minimize the splashing of the liquid from the container when the latter is moved. Moreover, it will be readily apparent that the device may be easily cleaned by removing the brush holding structure from the container by grasping the handles 30. As previously stated, the edge portions of the metal sheet I4 are spaced slightly inwardly from the side walls of the container and accordingly all of the liquid in the pockets I'I yand I9 will drain downwardly in'to the container when the brush holding structure is removed therefrom.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present device is extremely simple in construction and that it operates efficiently for maintaining paint brushes in soft pliable condition and in proper shape for ecient painting. It also will be apparent that the device may be used for holding a plurality of brushes which 5 have been used for applying diierent colors and diiferent surface coating compositions without such colors or compositions becoming mixed.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to 10 be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims. 16

I claim:

l. A brush holder comprising a container, a sheet metal brush supporting member adapted to berarranged in the container, said member being bent back and forth along upper and lower -2,0 lines to form a plurality of upwardly diverging brush receiving pockets, and being provided with sets of alined openings adjacent the tops of the pockets, and rods connected between the enc-f portions of said member and extending through said openings.

2. A brush holder comprising a container, a sheet metal brush supporting member adapted to be arranged in the container, said member being bent back and forth along upper and lower 80 lines to form a plurality of upwardly diverging brush receiving pockets having their ends open to the interior of the container, said member being provided with a plurality of sets of alined openings adjacent the tops of the pockets, said 85 member having portions extending downwardly below the bottoms of .said pockets to engage the bottom of the container and support said member with the bottoms of the pockets above the bottorn of the container, and rods connected between the end portions of said member and extending through said openings.

3. A brush holder comprising a unitary sheet metal body adapted to be arranged in a container and bent along transverse parallel lines to form a plurality of brush receiving pockets each having upwardly diverging side walls, and relatively rigid means extending substantially throughout the length of the brush holder and connected thereto adjacent the tops of said pockets. 60

4. A brush holder comprising a single sheet of metal bent back and forth along upper and lower parallel lines into a plurality of upwardly diverging brush receiving pocketsv of suincient depth to accommodate brushes therein, said brush holder being self-sustaining without additional support.

5. A brush holder comprising a single sheet of metal bent back and forth along upper and lower parallel lines into a plurality of upwardly diverging brush receiving pockets of sufcient depth to accommodate brushes therein, said brush holder being self-sustaining without additional support, said sheet of metal having its end portions extending downwardly below the bottom of said pockets to form supports for the holder.

WILLIAM JQBATES. 

